This disclosure generally relates to mechanisms for deploying and actuating airfoil-shaped bodies on compressed carriage unmanned aerial vehicles. In particular, this disclosure relates to mechanisms for deploying wings, canards or vertical stabilizers and mechanisms for actuating trailing edge control surfaces on compressed carriage unmanned aerial vehicles.
Unmanned surveillance air vehicles, glide munitions, winged missiles, and other types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are sometimes configured to be carried internally or externally on a larger mother aircraft (or a submarine). Because the carried UAV itself is usually small and typically has a limited range, it is flown to a location near to where it is to perform its mission, as cargo on the mother aircraft, and then air launched to perform the mission. The carried UAV may later be recovered, or it may be considered expendable and destroyed at the completion of the mission.
A known carried UAV has laterally extending wings and canards and a vertical stabilizer which, in the absence of foldability, would make it awkward to store the carried UAV on the mother aircraft or submarine. To facilitate the internal or external storage and transport on the mother aircraft or submarine, the carried UAV may be provided with folding wings, canards and vertical stabilizer. The folding wings, canards and vertical stabilizer are in storage positions during carriage, and then are unfolded to a deployed flight position shortly after launch from the mother aircraft or submarine. The UAV is launched from a mother aircraft at high speed in a compressed carriage state. First a balloon is inflated to slow down the UAV and then a parachute is deployed to stabilize the UAV. The folded wings, canards and vertical stabilizer are then deployed and the engine of the UAV is started. The UAV is then able to fly under remote control by the mother aircraft. The UAV could also be controlled by a remote ground control station, ship, submarine, etc.
There is a need for improved mechanisms for deploying folding wings, canards and vertical stabilizers and actuating control surfaces on UAVs of the foregoing type.